Different Schedule

 
Ilkhanid Period (1256–1353) / Ahmad Musa/ Rustam kills Istendiyar

I have a sneaking hunch that my workplace's response to the yet-to-be-determined threat of COVID is going to be indicative of the overall response in hospitals and healthcare facilities in America.  To paraphrase Churchill, we will do the right thing, but only after we have exhausted all the other possibilities.

Very clustery at work yesterday.  I suppose that it can't really be helped, Mid-level types are doing something that they haven't had to do in quite some time, think things through on the fly and improvise.  Working in a bureaucracy such a the VA in normal times definitely doesn't reward such behavior.  Rewards for middle management at the VA are obtained by carefully assessing the situation, pausing long enough to make certain that one's bureaucratic ass is thoroughly covered, and then taking the approach that enhances ones perceived authority while minimizing (or even better, eliminating) one personal responsibility.

Mostly my job lately is calling people, asking how they are, and explaining that they need to keep a weather eye on themselves and to call us rickety-tick if there is any change to their health.  Most of my guys aren't stupid, they are holed up and watching.  More so than the general population, us vets seem to understand the importance of keeping your head down.

So today I am up early.  In my case keeping my head down is going to consist of going in early to decrease the social distance on the MAX (the earlier the train, the fewer the people) and getting the standard work done and the extras that have been placed on my plate finished.

I really don't have a take on the virus itself.  I remember enough of my epidemiology and immunology to understand that this is a different can of worms.  Gonna spend some time reading hard shit this morning to try and get a better grip on what is happening.  If nothing else, it might provide a look at my schedule should I decide to join that damn gym at the bottom of the tram.